Loose-leaf binder



J. KAHN Loos LEAF BINDER Filed sept. 422. 1923 fr@ www Patented F eb.26, 1924.

JOSEPH KAI-IN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application 'filed September 22, 1923. Serial No. 664,154.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH KAHN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in loose-leaf binders, and moreparticularly to the form of binder disclosed in my prior applicationfiled May 23rd, 1922, Serial No. 563,512, and characterized by the useof hook-like fastening members mounted on.

one of the binder covers and engaging the adjacent ends of binding postsfixed to the other binder covers.

The object of the invention is. to provide a new and useful binder,including in its construction a simple, substantial, and positivelocking mechanism, hereinabove referred to as hook-like fasteningmembers, together with means for guiding the posts into registeringrelation for locking, thereby facilitating the operation of the lockingmechanism.

Further and other advantages will be brought out in connection with thedescription which follows, and in connection with the vaccompanyingdrawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the binder in openposition, showing the locking mechanism.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a. single lock in positionfor locking.

Figure 3 is a detail view in vertical section taken on line 3, 3 ofFigure 2, and

The Figure 3a is a detail view similar to Figure 3. but showing thelocking member connected with the post, and

Figure Ll is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the posts in lockedposition.

A loose-leaf binder, inthe typical form, consists of cover members 1 and2 joined together by a back portion of section 3 to which the covermembers are hinged in the manner long practiced in the art of bool;-maling. Between the cover'members are held the binder sheets or leaves4, to any thickness not to exceed the width between covers, said leavesbeing held in place by means of transverse binding posts 5, 5 extendingbetween covers and located near the back section 3. Holes punched in themarginal portion of the leaves are engaged by the posts.

In the binder, herein illustrated, the cover members are stiff, beingmade of one or more plies of card board covered with leather or otherbinding material. The back section 3 is also stifl', although it may berelatively flexible or limp, if so desired. As shown in Fig. 2, theposts 5, 5 lare cylindric rods fixed or anchored in a stiff rail 6,extending transversely of the bottom cover 2, parallel with and adjacentto the flexible hinge connecting said cover and back section 3. The rail6 is preferably embedded or inlaid in the body of the cover. In the freeends of the posts are formed eyes 5fJL extending diametricallytherethrough in alignment with each other.

Along the inner edge of the top cover 2 and adjacent to the connectinghinge is a shallow metallic casing 7 which encloses and supports thelocking members and operating parts, the former being'l movable into andout of engagement with the eyes 5a of the posts 5.

The casing 7 is preferably constructed in two parts, namely, a flatbearing plate 8, and a flanged cover plat-e 9, secured to said bearinglplate byvsuitable fastening means, The marginal flanges 9a of the coverplate abut against the bearing plate, spacing them apart and forming ashallow chamber therebetween. Along the inner edge of the bearing plateis a tubular bead 10, which projects bodily beyond the hinged edge ofthe cover 1, and, when the binder is closed, occupies al ,positionimmediately over the ends ofthe posts 5, 5. The tubular bead is providedwith notches or recesses V10, 10a adapted Vto register with the freeends of the posts 5, 5 and permit locking action between the eyes 5, 5aand the locking hooks, hereinafter to be described. Along the oppositeside of the casing 7, the bearingplate S is extended beyond the coverplate, forming a flange 1l which extends between the layers of cardboardforming the cover 1,

the outermost layer extending the full width I llO the layer offinishing material which is applied after it has been secured in place.

livotally mounted upon the bearing plate is a pair of similar fasteningmembers or hooks lil. llarh fastener or hook is pivoted at1-glintermediate its ends, and extends transversely of the plates inflatwise contact therewith, the hooked end portion 13a extendingsubstantially in line with the tubular bead 10, as clearly shown in Fig.3. The movement of the fastening members imparted by .actuating partsengaging the rounded head 13b at the inner end of each, carries theouter hook portion longitudinally across the notches 10a, the extremitythereof engaging' the opening in the tubular bead formed b v the notch.On the op posite side of thel notch the tubular bead is slottedlengthwise as at. 10b, thereby providing a Supporting or guide slot forthe shank of the hook.

The rela-tion of the fastening members and the posts 5 is such that themovement o-f the former acts to engage and disengage the eyes 5f at thefree ends of the latter when the ends` of the posts are brought intoregistering relation with the notches 1021 of the tubular bead 10. Inthis position the ends of the hooked portions are brought intoalignntent with the eyes of the posts so that in the endwise movement ofthe fastenw ing members, the ends thereof pass through the eyes and intothe open ends of the tubular bead beyond, thus providing hinges or pinsupon which the free ends of the posts may turn in the opening andclosing of the binder.

The means for actuating the fastening members comprisea ila-t endivisemovable bar lrmounted between the plates 8 and 9 and held from lateraldisplacement by guides 16 struck up from the meta-lof the bearing plate8. Along the inner edge of the'strip 15 are provided notches 17, whichreceive the rounded ends 13b of the fastening members 13 so that theshifting of the bar endf wise actua-tes the fastening members intolocking and releasing positions. The endwise movement of the strip islimited by longitudinal Slots 15a through which pass the rivets 15b,connecting the top and bottom plates 8 and 9.

Several means may be adopted for manually operating the strip or slidingbar 15, the simplest being perhaps a handle 18, formed b v bending oneend of the bar at right angles and projecting through a recess 2ain thecover 2.

Integral `with the sliding bar 15 and adjacent each of the lockingmembers 13, is an arm 19, extending at right angles thereto toward thetubular bead 10 and terminating` in a sleeve 90. surrounding the saineadjaent each notch l()a thereof and having sliding engagement therewith.In the end of the sleeve adjacent the notch, is a slot or recess 21,opening or facing outwardly and away from the hook members.Diametrically opposite the slot or recess 21 in the sleeve 2O is acorresponding slot 21a of substantially the same length, but slightnarrower. This slot 21 is provided to allow the movement of the sleeve20 with respect to the hook 13. The slot is slightly deeper than thewidth of the notch, and of about the same width as the diameter of thetubular bead so that when the sleeve is shifted endwise over the notch,the slot forms an opening into which the end of the post 5 may be guidedinto position for locking, that is, with the eye 5a thereof registeringwith the end of the hook member, fastened at the entrance 0f the notchand in readiness to pass through the eye.

The function of the sleeve will be clearly i understood from thefollowing: The lock ing of the post ends is accomplished by shifting thebar 15 endwise to the left (Figure 1) thus swinging the hooks to throwthe ends in the opposite: direction across the notches 10, and throughthe eyes 5a of the posts which have been brought into register with thenotches in the tubular bead. The sleeves 2O are so located .on the bar15 that when the latter is shifted to actuate the hooks into lockingposition, the same are carried to one side of the notches leaving themuncovered. So, also, when the bar is shifted to the right to effect theunlocking ofY the posts, the sleeve moves to the right and over thenotches and remain in that position until the next locking operation. 1tfollows therefore, that the sleeves function only while the device isunlocked, its primary function be-v` ing to assist in bringing the postends into position for locking, by forming an opening or guide slot intowhich said ends can be inserted. Thus the notches 10 are temporarilyconverted into sockets, which hold the eyes 5a in alignment :with endsof the hooks, until the locking movement is started, whereupon thesleeves are carried into inoperative position, thus allowing the ends ofthe posts to turn freely on the hooks. In the absence of the sleeves itis difficult to properly locate the post ends within` the notches, andat the same time operate the locking device. By providing a positiveguide, however, itis only necessary to insert the end of the post in theopening, and the proper positioning is assured.

Another advantage of the sleeves is this: It is to be noted that. theslots 21 are so located in the sleeves that it is necessary to hold thetop cover upright and at right angles tol the bottom cover, or parallelto the Aposts in order to insert the post ends into the notches, (Figure3). Furthermore, when the locking has been completed and the sleeves areshifted to one side of thenotches,

the swinging of the top cover out of vertical position revolves thesleeve sufficiently to throw the slots 21 .out-of alignment with theends of the posts, with the result that the sleeves cannot be 'shifteduntil the cover is again brought into its initial position. Thus, thesleeves being locked against movement, the entire locking mechanism isrendered inoperative so that it follows that the sleeves act as lockingmembers preventing accidental unlocking of the binder in all positionsexcept the one indicated. Incidentally this feature offers aconsiderable degree of protection against the removal of sheets byunauthorized persons, for unless they are familiar With the arrangement,their endeavors would be hampered, if not completely frustrated.Similarly the slots may be formed in the sleeves so that the insertionof the post ends may take place only when the binder is open flat, as inFigure l.

The invention herein disclosed fulfills a simple, yet effective purpose,and provides a useful and practical element in conjunction with anotherwise serviceable locking device for binders.

The various details of design'and structure herein disclosed may bevariously modified Without departing from the spirit of the invention,and therefore I do not Wish to be limited except in so far as theinvention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post secured to onecover, a locking member secured to the other cover, and adapted forlocking engagement with said post, and a shiftable member coi-actingWith said locking member to guide the post into locking position.

2. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post anchored in one ofsaid covers, a locking member mounted on the other cover member, meansfor actuating said locking member into and out of locking engagementwith said post and a member operatively connected With said lockingmember actuating means for guiding the end of said post into positionfor engagement with said locking member.

3. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post anchored in one ofsaid covers, a locking member mounted on the other of said covers andshiftable transversely of said post to engage the end thereof, a fixedguideI member having a notch to receive the end of said post forlocking, and a shiftable guide member co-acting With said locking memberto guide said post into said notch and in position for locking.

4. A binder comprising hinged together covers and back, a post securedto one cover, a locking member pivotally mounted on the other cover andhaving an. end portion adapted to engage an eye in the end of said post,a fixed guide for said locking member, having a recess to receive theend .of said post and a shiftable guide member operative to present anopening to receive the end of saidpost when said locking member is inunlocking position.

5. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post secured to one ofsaid covers, a tubular bead fixed to the other cover and provided with arecess ada-pted to receive the end of said post,.a locking membershiftable longitudinally of said flange, and across said recess, and asleeve shiftab-le on said flange, and having an opening adapted in oneposition of the sleeve to register with said notch, and to be positionedin alignment with said post'.

6. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post secured toI one ofsaid covers, a hooked locking member pivoted on the other cover andadapted to engage an eye in the end of said post, a tubular guide forthe end of said locking member, said posts being adapted to bepositioned With its eye in alignment With said tubular bead and a sleeveslidable on said flange and provided With an opening thereon, saidsleeve being shiftable simultaneously with said` locking vmember topresent said opening to said post for guiding the same into position forlocking.

7. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post secured to one ofsaid covers, a hooked locking member pivoted on the other cover andadapted to engage an eye in the end of said post, a tubular ange fixedat the edge of said cover and having a notch to receive the endA of saidpost, and

a sleeve slidable on said flange and provided With a slot adapted in theshifting of said sleeve in one direction to register With said notch,and to be positioned in alignment with said post in a predeterminedposition of said cover.

8. A binder comprising hinged together covers, a post secured to onecover, a locking member of hooked form pivotally mounted on the othercover, a tubular flange fixed to said last mentioned cover and forming aguide for the end of said locking member, a sleeve slidable on saidtubular flange and in operative co-nnection with said locking member,said sleeve having a slot in one end thereof, adapted to register with arecess in said tubular flange and to form a guide opening thereto forsaid post, said sleeve being shifted out of guiding position as saidlocking member engages said ost. p 9. A binder comprising hinged covers,a post secured to one of said covers, a locking member mounted on theother cover and adapted for lockingA engagement with the free end ofsaid post, a fixed guide member for positioning said.- post inlongitudinal.

alignment with said locking member, and a shiftable guide memberoperatively connected with said looking member for positioning Vseidpost in transverse'alignment 5 with said locking member, said lastmentioned guide member being moved into operative position in theunlocking movement of said locking member, and out of operative positionin the looking movement of said locking member. 10

In Witness Wliereoil hereunto subscribe my name this 19 day ofSeptember, A. D.,

JOSEPH KAHN.

